Mucking machine



May 12, 1942. F. .PooLE MUCKING MACHINE Filed March l, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR May 12, 1942. c. F. POOLE 4 2,282,378

MUCKING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1940 a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented May 12, 1942 MUcKnvG MACHINE Clarence F. Poole, Evanston,

Goodman Manufacturing Company,

lll.,` assignor to Chicago,

Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 1, 1940', Serial No. 321,698

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mucking machines ofthe type disclosed in Patent No. 1,514,008, which issued to J.' P. Mosier on November 4, 1924.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a new and improved mucking machine of the class described, having a novel form and arrangement o-f scoop and boom, with a chute mounted independently of the boom, for receiving material gathered by the scoop and discharging this material onto a conveyer in the direction of travel of the conveyer, to prevent material from dropping directly from the scoop onto the conveyer.

Another object of my invention is tov provide a new and improved mucking machine including a scoop pivotally mounted on the end of aboom with a chute pivotally mounted on and communicating with said scoop, said chute being slidably movable with respect to said boom` and arranged to limit I downward movement of the scoop and boom to a gathering position and provide an abutment against which the scoop may react during the gathering of material, so forward movement of the machine along the track may crowd said scoop into the material itis desired to load.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a loading machine of the class described, having flexible means for lifting the scoop and boom and other flexible means independent of the lifting means, for swinging the scoop from side to side, which is so arranged that the lifting means may serve as a centering means, for centering the scoop with respect to the conveyer when it reaches a discharge position.

An application Serial No. 199,781, led April 4,

1938, by Anthony R. Biedess, granted July 16, 1940, as Patent No. 2,208,205., discloses a mucking machine having a chute extending along a boom, and arrangedk to discharge material onto the conveyer at a relatively ilat angle with re' spect thereto, in order to minimize the liability of injuring the belt by the direct dropping of material thereon. My present invention differs from the prior invention of A. R. Biedess in that the chute is pivotally connected to the scoop ini stead of the boom, and is slidable with respect to the boom when being moved to a position to discharge material onto the conveyer, and also serves as a stop to limit downward swinging movement of the scoop and boom and to form an abutment against which the scoop may react during forward movement of the machine along the track.

Other objects of my invention will appear from l time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to they accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mucking machine constructed in accordance with my invention, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section;

.Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the device shown in Figure l, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the forward part of the machine shown in Figure 1, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section, in order to more clearly illustrate certain details of my invention; and

Figure 4 is a partial fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the forward endv of the machine shown in Figure 1, drawn to substantially thev same scale as Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine embodying my invention is constructed along lines somewhat similar to those disclosed'in the aforementioned Mosier Patent No. 1,514,008, so will not herein be described in detail. As herein shown, said machine includes a main frame I0 mounted on track wheels II, II and axles I2, I2. An elevating conveyer I3 extends along said main frame from a point disposed adjacent the lower forward end thereof in a' rearwardly rand upwardly inclined direction and' attens out to a substantially horizontal discharge position beyond the rear end of said main frame.' Said f elevating conveyer is hereinshown as being a belt conveyer of an ordinary construction and is driven from a motor I'4, mounted adjacent the rear end of said main frame. generally indicated by reference character I5, and chain and sprocket drives I6 and I'I are provided to drive said conveyer from said motor (see Figure 2).

The main frame I0 is provided with a forwardly projecting support portion I8, projecting forwardly of its forward end and disposed above the lower end thereof.- Said support portion serves to limit downward swinging movement of a scoop I9, mounted on the outer ends of a boom consisting of a pair of laterally spaced arms 20, 20, and forms a support for said scoop and boom, during the gathering operation. Said arms are mounted adjacent their rear or inner ends on opposite ends of a transverse shaft 2|, journaled intermediate its ends in a hinge member 22. Said hinge member has bearing engagement with A gear reduction,

tion. Pivotal pins 28, 28 extend throughsaid ears and slots, to pivotally and slidably connect said scoop to said arms and allow pivotal movement of said scoop with respect to said arms in a rearward direction, during the gathering operation, in a manner which will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The means for swinging said scoop and boom" from side to side includes al'pair of flexible cables 29, 29 having connection with'opposite sides of a forwardly projecting portion 3|) of the hinge member, 22 (see Figures 3 and 4). Said cables are ltrained rearwardly along opposite sides of the main frame I0 and are wound around winding drums 3|,' 3|. Said winding drums are mounted on a transversely extending shaft 32 and are driven from the motor I4 by means of suitable Vgear trains, which include planetaries 33, 33 mounted on said shaft (see Figure 1). Friction bands 34, 34 are provided to control said planetaries, in'a usual manner well known to those skilled in the art. The drive from said motor to said shaft'and planetaries and the details of said planetaries will not herein be shown or described, since said drive and planetaries are of an ordinary construction well known'fto'those skilled in the art, and are no part of my present invention.

The means for elevating said scoop and boom from a gathering to discharge position includes a central flexible cable or chain 31. Said chain is'connected to said scoop by means of a pair of chains 38, 38 connected together at their rear -ends and to said central cable, by means of -a ring 39.v .Thevforward ends of said chains `are secured to opposite forward upper ends of the scoopl I9 by means of connecting clevises 40, 40. The cable 31v extends rearwardly from said scoop over a horizontal roller 4| and through a pair of spaced'vertical rollers 43, 43, and'is adapted to be wound'on a winding drum 44, mounted on a transverse shaft 45 (see Figures l and 2). Said winding drum is driven from said shaft by means of suitable planetary reduction gearing indicated by reference character 4B, which may be controlled by a friction band 41'in a usual manner. Said shaft is in turn'driven -from the motor I4 by suitable drive connections, which need not herein be shown or described in detail since they are no part of my present invention.

It may lbe seen from the foregoing thatthe `flexible cables 29, 29`may `laterally swing the scoop .and boom in one direction or another, to position said scoop forpicking up material from either side of the track, and that when said scoop is in a laterally extended position at one side or the otherof the vmain frame, the flexible cable 31 may elevate said scoop and boom, for discharging material onto the conveyor I3. During relevation of said scoop` and boom, said-elevating -cable willswing said scoop and boom to a central position with respect Ito said conveyor, dueto the 4reaction of saidv cable against the' spaced vertical rollers 43, V43, the drums al, 3| being free 75' 'tion of travel thereof.

of my invention, a chute 48 is provided to guide material'from the scoop I9 to the conveyor I3 and discharge it onto said conveyor in the direc- Said chute has a depending forward portion 49, which is adapted to be'interleaved by a plurality of ears 5|), E9 projecting -rearwardly yfrom the rear side of said scoop at points spaced downwardly from the top thereof'- and from the pivotal pins 28, 28. A transverse shaft 52 is journaled in said'` depending portionand secured at its ends-to said outer ears, to pivotally connect said chute to said scoop. An inner or rear portion of said depending portion is shouldered, as indicated by reference character 54Y in Figures 2 and 4, to engage a curved outer periphery 55 of the support portion I8 andlserve as a stop for said scoop and boom, to-limit downward movement thereof to a gathering position and form a support therefor during the gathering of material. The lower forward end of said` depending portion is 'downwardly and inwardly inclined as is indicated by reference character 5B, to forman abutment against which the rear end ofA said scoop may react so that movement of the machine along the track may-force said scoop into the material it is desired to load. Y

With the arrangement just described, the scoop is afforded direct forward rthrusting engagement relative to thearcuate support portion I8 of -themain frame,in the various lateral angular positions said scoop may haveY duringthe forward digging movement of the machine, so as to relieve the arms 2U, 20 and theirvpivotal connection with the frameffrom forward thrusting stresses and to eliminatev any tendency of the scoop to swing upwardly or from side to side, during such forward digging movement.

i The chute 48 extends rearwardly from said scoop between the-arms 20, 20 andslidably engages the uppersurface of the hinge member 22,

-during movement of-said scoop and boornfin a vertical direction to a discharge position. Said chute is provided with a discharge end 59, which curves upwardly with respect to the transverse shaft 2|, when the scoop and boom'are in a gathering position, and .which extends in the direction of travel of the conveyor when'said scoop and boom are in a discharge position, so said chute will discharge material onto the conveyor I3 in the direction of travel of the conveyor and at an angle with respect thereto which is relatively ilat (see Figure 2).

The scoop I 9, slidably and pivotally connected tothe arms 20, 20 by the pivotal pins'28, 28, may thus pivot about the axis of the shaft 52 ina backward direction, when the chute and scoop are in a lowered position. AThis permits said scoop to abut the inclined face 53 of said forward depending portion of said chute and be properly positioned for picking up material from the ground. Thus, said chute, besides serving as a stop to limit downward movement of said scoop and arms, serves as a reaction member ering, and is so arranged as to break the direct fall of material from the scoop to the conveyer.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embedded, it will be understood that theconstruction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I` do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a shoveling device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom transversely pivoted adjacent the forward end of said frame, a scoop pivotally mounted on the forward end of said boom, and a chute communicating with said scoop and adapted to deliver material from said scoop onto said conveyer, the delivery end of said Ichute diverging upwardly from the transverse pivotal axis of said boom, when said scoop and boom are in a lowered gathering position, to deliver material onto said conveyer in the direction of travel of said conveyer, said chute being slidably movable with respect to said boom and having pivotal connection with said scoop at a point spaced from the axis of pivotal connection of said boom to said scoop and also having stop means arranged to engage said frame and bear the forward thrust of said scoop independently of said boom when said scoop is in a gathering position.

2. In a shoveling device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom transversely pivoted adjacent the forward end of said frame, a scoop pivotally mounted on the forward end of said boom, and a chute communicating with said scoop and adapted to deliver material from said scoop onto said conveyer, the delivery end of said chute diverging upwardly from the transverse pivotal axis of said boom, when said scoop and boom are in a lowered gathering position, to deliver material onto said conveyer in the direction of travel of said conveyer, said chute being slidably movable with respect to said boom and having pivotal connection with said scoop at a point spaced downwardly from the axis of pivotal connection of said boom to said scoop, and said chute forming a stop to limit downward movement of said scoop and boom and having a depending forward portion against which the rear side of said scoop may abut, to permit said chute to crowd said scoop into the material it is desired to load.

3. In a shoveling device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom including a pair of parallel spaced supporting arms pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about a vertical and a horizontal transverse axis, a chute extending between said arms and mounted for slidable movement with respectI thereto, a scoop pivotally mounted on the ends of said arms, a pivotal connection between said chute and scoop at a point spaced from the point of connection of said scoop to said arms, said chute communicating with the discharge end of said scoop and having a discharge end diverging upwardly from the axis of vertical swinging movement of said arms, when said chute is in a lowered position, to deliver material onto said conveyer in the direction of travel of said conveyer, and said chute being adapted to engage said frame and limit downward swingingV movementof said scoop and boom and form a support therefor, during the gathering of material.

4. In a shoveling 'device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom including a pair of parallel spaced supporting arms pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about-a vertical and a horizontal transverse axis, a chute extending between said arms and mounted for slidable movement with respect thereto, a scoopmounted on the ends of said arms', a pivotal connection between said chute and scoop at a point spaced from the point of connection of said scoop to said arms, said chute communicating with the discharge end of said scoop and having a discharge end diverging upwardly from the axis of vertical swinging movement of said arms, when said chute is in a lowered position, to deliver material onto said conveyer in the direction of travel of said conveyer, said chute being adapted to engage said frame and limit downward swinging movement of said scoop and boom and form a support therefor during gathering, and having a depending forward portion engaging the forward end of said frame and serving as an abutment for the rear end of said scoop, to permit said chute to crowd said scoop into the material it is desired to load by rectilinear movement of said frame.

5. In a shoveling device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom transversely pivoted adjacent the forward end of said frame and including a pair of parallel spaced arms, a scoop pivotally and slidably mounted between said arms adjacent the forward end thereof, a chute extending between said arms and mounted for slidable movement with respect thereto, a pivotal connection between said scoop and boom, a pivotal connection between said scoop and chute at a point spaced below the point of connection of said arms to said scoop, said chute being adapted to engage said frame and limit downward travel of said scoop and boom and having a forward depending portion against which said scoop is adapted to react during the gathering operation, to permit said chute to crowd said scoop into the material it is desired to load, by movement of said frame along the track.

6. In a shoveling device adapted to pick up loose material and discharge it onto a conveyer, a frame, a boom transversely pivoted adjacent the forward end of said frame, a scoop pivotally mounted on the forward end of said boom, a chute extending between the sides of said boom and having slidable engagement therewith, a pivotal connection between said chute and scoop, a flexible member trained from above said scoop and having connection therewith at points spaced forwardly of the points of connection of said scoop to said boom, for elevating said scoop to a discharge position, flexible members for swinging said scoop and boomfrom side to side, said chute being adapted to engage said frame, to limit downward travel of said scoop and boom and to form a reaction member for crowding said scoop into the material it is desired to load by rectilinear movement of said frame.

7. In a device for picking up loose material and discharging it onto a conveyer, a frame, a scoop, a boom transversely pivoted on said frame and having pivotal and slidable connection with said scoop, and a chute extending between the sides of said boom and slidably movable with respect thereto, for transferring material from said scoop to the conveyer, said chute having pivotal connection with said scoop at a point spaced from the point of connection of said boom thereto and adapted to rest on said frame and to form a support for said scoop during the gathering operation andgto engage the forward end of said frame and kform a means-for imparting a forward thrusting action to said scoop, upon rectilinear movement of said frame.

8.v In a device for picking up loose material and discharging it onto a conveyer, a frame having a horizontally arcuate support at its forward end, a boom pivoted for lateral swinging movement on said frame concentrcally with said arcuate support and also having vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, a scoop pivotally mounted on the end of said boom, a vchute pivotally connected with said scoop independently of said boom, and slidably movable with respect to the latter for transferring material from said scoop to the conveyer, said chute having stop means thereon adapted to engage the arcuate portion of said frame when the scoop is in lowered gathering position so as to bear the thrusting reaction of the scoop upon Vrectilinear forward movement of said frame.

CLARENCE F. POOLE. 

